Related resources for this article

(1854–1912). An honored French mathematician, theoretical astronomer, and philosopher of science, Henri Poincaré was also a gifted writer. He wrote about science and mathematics in language that was easy for his readers to understand.

Born on April 29, 1854, in Nancy, France, Jules-Henri Poincaré was a cousin of Raymond Poincaré, who became president of France during World War I. Henri’s nearsightedness did not keep him from achieving top honors in mathematics at the École Polytéchnique in Paris, France. In 1879 he received his doctorate from the University of Paris, and from 1881 until his death he taught at the University of Paris. Many of his lectures there, which changed to reflect his varied interests, were published in a series of papers that discussed such topics as optics, electricity, and theoretical mathematics.

Poincaré’s more than 30 books were widely translated and included Science and Hypothesis, published in an English translation in 1905, The Value of Science (1907), and Science and Method (1914). In 1908 his stature as a writer was recognized by his election to membership in the Académie Française. Poincaré died on July 17, 1912, in Paris.

It’s here: the NEW Britannica Kids website!

We’ve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements!

The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages.

Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops.

Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards.

A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar.

Want to see it in action?

Start a free trial

E-mail

To

From

Sender NamePlease enter your name.

Sender EmailPlease enter a valid email address.

Translate this page

Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review the converted text.

After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar.